Three Internet Tools to Better Manage Your Online Reputation

| September 9, 2013

Deciding to extend an organization's marketing strategy online requires energy and dedication to maintaining all relationships created through the Internet. Many businesses may choose to have an employee solely devoted to controlling the company's online presence and preserving the brand's name. However, if potential customers have a negative experience with the organization's online resources, clients could turn their interests toward competitors. Here are a few ways to manage your business's online reputation:

1. Do some digging While it may seem weird at first, searching the company name through Google and other search engines can show what others are saying about the organization. Many times, the business website will pop up first. However, there may also be reviews about the business that come up in the search. These opinions can shape how potential customers view the organization, and it's imperative to understand what clients think. It could be beneficial to read the comments and make better-informed decisions to meet consumer demands. However, some sites can have reviews from disgruntled employees and competitors.

"Business owners all across the board are having a huge problem on Yelp and sites just like Yelp," Ashley Adams, reputation advisor at InternetReputation.com, told FOX Business. "Unlike the Better Business Bureau where a consumer has to prove they are a customer, Yelp lets anyone write a review."

2. Handle criticism To go along with the last point, replying to good and bad reviews can be beneficial for the business. Setting up Google Alerts can show when the company name is mentioned, putting the organization in a better position to respond to any negative comments. Utilizing social networking platforms, the business can pose diplomatic answers to unfavorable opinions. Maintaining professionalism and conversing naturally with the audience will help preserve the organization's image. If a company were to overreact and lash out, it likely will hurt its reputation further and permanently damage its credibility.

"That's a whole lot of other potential customers, so apologize and demonstrate that you care," said Womo.com founder Fiona Adler. "Remember that potential customers will be reading your response and forming opinions based on what you do when things go wrong."

3. Make online profiles consistent Reliability is the best policy when it comes to the Internet, and one of the best ways to demonstrate your credibility is to have the same personality show through on each profile that represents the organization. For example, if the website is overly professional, but the Facebook page is cheesy and goofy, consumers will think that the company is unsure of what it wants to be or that one of the profiles is a fake. Keeping the same feeling across all sources will help better establish the brand and create a cohesive network that users will recognize.

"Most websites give you the option of linking to other social media sites," Forbes writer Susan Adams noted. "Do this. It will make your online presence stronger."

Creating and maintaining an online reputation can be influential to the organization's overall success. To better communicate with customers, companies can leverage Fonality's business telephone services for advanced calling features. To find out more about Fonality's services, visit our website today!